Chapter 166: Marry me
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DRAKE'S POV
My thoughts were a whirlwind in my head as I approached my sister. Large tears filled her eyes as she peered up at me and finally lost it when she threw herself into my arms.
"I'm so sorry, Drake!" She sobbed into my chest, clutching at my back. "I'm so sorry for everything."
I peered over my shoulder to find lynn watching me. It was obvious that she wanted to say something but she was giving us space as well. I loved her for it, but she was my family now and I didn't want her to think we couldn't discuss this together.
Stepping back from Dakota, I grabbed her hand and led her to the couch where everyone could be a part of what she had to say. All eyes turned on her as she took a deep breath.
"What happened, Dakota? You had the cops called on me. I just don't understand," I said as I wiped a hand over my tired face.
She let out a small sob. "I didn't mean for it to get that far out of hand. Mom and Diego made it seem like we could all be a family again. All I've ever wanted was a big, happy family."
I snorted. "Be a family again? Dakota, we've never been a family even when we were all together. What's going on inside that head of yours?" The anger inside me caused my fists to clench together as I pinned her with my glare. There was something not adding up here.
"They tricked them. There were promises thrown around that once they had the money they needed, everything would be different. We could leave our wicked pasts behind and move forward." Her eyes dropped to her hands before she continued, "That's when I told Diego about your safe. I figured if he could get the money he needed, he'd leave you all alone. I was hoping it would be a quick in and out job."
I saw red. Dakota deliberately told Diego about my safe and that ultimately put Molly in danger. Diego and Mom didn't come here to grab the money and run. No, they had this all planned out.
"Well it wasn't, now was it? Lynn ended up in the hospital and luis was kidnapped. Oh, and let's not forget about Lane. The poor guy has stitches in his head, Dakota!" I shouted as my anger boiled to the top. I stood to my feet and paced, unable to sit beside her any longer. "And the kind of money he wanted wasn't in my safe. You know I don't have that kind of money! What the hell were you thinking?!"
"I wasn't!" She screamed back. "They tricked me and brainwashed me!" Excuses. She had nothing but excuses and I was fucking done with it. I was done with them all.
"You've been using again, Dakota," I pointed out. "Your mind is making up all this shit! Now I'm not saying you weren't tricked, but you were gullible and my entire world suffered because of it. You... you need to go." She let out a whimper as she shot up from the couch and grabbed my arm. "No! Please don't make me go! I have no one to turn to!"
"Then you should have thought about that!!" I hollered, not giving a shit that we had an audience. "You're pregnant for fuck's sake, Dakota! When were you going to start thinking about your child? When it was too late?!"
She flinched at my words, averting her gaze from mine. "I'm not pregnant," she whispered so quietly I hardly heard her.
"You're what?"
"I'm not pregnant!" She screamed as tears streamed down her face. "It was a lie! I wanted Lex to come around and be there for me! I faked the pregnancy and thought he'd take me back! When lynn picked me up at that hotel, I had just come from Lex's..." she turned to lynn then and continued, "He had found out that I wasn't pregnant and hit me, kicking me out. I had no one to call."
I was so angry that I wanted to destroy everything. Dakota fucking tricked us all. And for what? So we'd pity her and take care of her? Nah, I was done.
I grabbed her arm roughly and guided her toward the front door. Lynn, luis, and Aunt Rose froze in their spots as they watched this unfold in front of them.
"You have a choice to make right now, Dakota." I held the front door open for her. "Either you stay and let me help you get some real help, which involves you checking into a treatment center... Or, you walk out this front door and never come back. Decide."
"Drake," she whimpered.
"No, Dakota! I've fucking had it with family taking advantage of me! Pick your fucking choice!"
She broke down in wretched sobs as she tried to hug me but I stepped back from her. I knew that she was trying to pull on my heartstrings but it wouldn't work this time. She had to make a decision and I wouldn't do it for her this time. If she didn't want help, then I wasn't going to help her.
Her gaze moved between me and the open door before she took a deep breath and stepped away from me. All the blood ran from my face as she chose to leave. She stepped out onto the front stoop and didn't look back once. I slammed the door shut so hard it rattled the windows. Tears burned my eyes as I took several deep breaths, unable to comprehend her choice. How could she choose to leave when I was offering her a hand of help? I just didn't get it! Fuck it, she made her choice and now it was time for me to make mine. Lynn was the only thing that mattered to me anyway and from this moment forward, she would be the only person I worried about.
Turning, I marched up the stairs to our bedroom to have a moment to collect myself. After everything I'd ever done for Dakota, I couldn't believe she chose to give up. I guess she wasn't strong enough to fight through her addictions and I wouldn't force her to. It just hurt to see my baby sister give up like that. I always thought she was stronger than that. Who's the fool now?
I sat on the edge of the bed and cradled my head in my hands, running through what had just happened in my head. Was there something I could have done differently? Fuck!
"Drake."
My eyes shot up to find lynn standing in our bedroom door, watching me with sad eyes. She didn't move but I wished she would. I needed her now more than ever, knowing in my heart that I always would.
I held out my hand to her as she stepped forward, slowly making her way to me before she took my hand and crawled onto my lap. Her legs straddled my hips as she wrapped her arms around my neck and held me to her chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, using her strength to keep me going as I cried against her. I didn't let many people, if any, see me cry but lynn had and I was okay with that.
"She just walked out like it was nothing," I murmured against her chest. "She chose drugs over help. What the hell is wrong with my family?"
And then dark thoughts entered my mind. What if I would be like them someday? They were my family and every single one of them was a bad apple. Would it only be a matter of time before I ended up like one of them? No, I had to believe I was better than that. I had to believe that I changed the course of my life when I ran away at sixteen. But when I thought about the shit I'd done to be where I'm at today, I saw my family. Maybe I wasn't much better than them.
"You can't control what your family does, Drake, but you can control what you do." Lynn sat back and cupped my face, tilting my head back until our eyes connected. "She made her choice, Dom. There was nothing you could have done to change it."
My bottom lip trembled as I bit it hard, trying to swallow back the emotion. "What do I do? Tell me what to do, lynn." I slammed my face back into her chest and cried as I held her tight.
She caressed my head and back, planting soft kisses on the top of my head. I didn't know what I'd do if lynn weren't in my life. She was the only light in my darkness and I'd be lost without her.
"You hold your head high and continue on like you always have. I'm right beside you, Drake, and I refuse to let you fall."
I leaned back and blinked away my tears as I stared into her face, memorizing every inch of it. She was all I've ever wanted and all I'd ever need.
"Marry me, lynn."
